


you are a guest here now

by otterrific



Category: The Avengers (2012), The Avengers - All Fandoms
Genre: Angst, Drabble, F/M, Gen, Uncontrollable Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-10
Updated: 2012-09-10
Packaged: 2017-11-13 23:35:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/508977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/otterrific/pseuds/otterrific
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He’s always been the red she couldn’t quite wipe clean.</p>
            </blockquote>





	you are a guest here now

The funny thing about funerals for S.H.I.E.L.D. agents is that hardly anyone cries. Of the handful of attendees, most are agents themselves, and they all know the risks of the job. Barton had few living relatives, none of whom have the clearance to be notified of his death. Banner looks like he isn’t sure if he should be here, and Stark has his arm around Pepper as she struggles to hold herself together, and Steve would never admit to the tears behind his eyes for his fallen soldier and friend.

Her own eyes are dry as she stands in front of the small crowd gathered around the grave. She tells them briefly of his accomplishments for S.H.I.E.L.D., of her years of partnership and of his archaic choice of weaponry and of all the shots he’d never missed.

She doesn’t speak of the important things, of their unwavering trust and of late nights sharing stories of their pasts and fears for their future and of the only man to ever crawl his way into her heart, because those words were solely hers and Clint’s, always.

She doesn’t speak of his final mission, of the stupid spat they’d had before he left and of the little girl with red hair he’d pulled out of the building first and of _damn it, Barton, what the hell were you thinking_ and of his comm link going dead and she should have been there and she should have followed him in and she wasn’t there and she didn’t save him when they’d always promised each other they would.

He’s always been the red she couldn’t quite wipe clean.

**Author's Note:**

> This was probably not the best choice for my first post on this site. I promise, I am occasionally more cheerful than this.
> 
> Title from "How" by Regina Spektor, because I am a shameless lyric thief.


End file.
